Cranberry Walnut Bread is the perfect addition to your holiday baking list! Whether you add it to a dessert tray or your brunch options for Thanksgiving or Christmas morning, everyone will be coming back for more. Great combination of flavors with fresh cranberries, nuts and orange.
Make homemade cranberry bread in a snap! This recipe doesn’t even require you to pull out your mixer which makes it a winner in my book Quick breads are such a great option to have on hand for the holidays. And nothing screams holiday more than the cranberry orange combination we have going on in this bread from scratch.
Fresh Cranberry Recipes
I’m a huge fan of recipes with fresh cranberries beyond just cranberry sauce. They work well in a wide variety of recipes including baked goods like cranberry upside down cake , apple frangipane tart , or cranberry lemon scones. They don’t even have to be cooked like in this cranberry relish.
Fresh cranberries also work well in drinks either to create a syrup like in this cranberry gin and tonic mocktail or just as a pretty holiday garnish for drinks like this cranberry mocktail. Cranberries hold up well over time in drinks instead of breaking down like other fruits. As a bonus they are considered a superfood and are high in antioxidants!
Cranberry Nut Bread Ingredients
To make this delicious quick bread you’ll need the following ingredients:
- flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- salt
- cinnamon
- egg
- milk
- orange juice
- orange zest
- oil
- fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
- walnuts
I use a lot of walnuts and cranberries in this recipe. You can reduce them to two cups fresh cranberries and one cup walnuts total if you want less. You can also use already prepared orange juice or you can juice some fresh oranges. You’ll need one orange to zest, but one orange makes about 1/3 cup juice so you’ll want to use two oranges. (You could also make up the difference with a little water).
What does coarsely chopped mean?
Coarsely chopped is a cooking term that can be confusing. It is larger than diced or chopped and about three-quarters of an inch but not uniform in shape or size. When chopping your fresh cranberries you’ll leave them in larger chunks.
How to Make Cranberry Walnut Bread
To make this cranberry bread with walnuts, you’ll want to start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8×4 inch loaf pans set them aside. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. (I like to use a whisk or fork to fully incorporate the ingredients).
In medium bowl, whisk together egg, milk, orange juice, orange zest and oil. Add to dry ingredients and stir until fully combined. Fold in coarsely chopped fresh cranberries and 1 cup chopped walnuts.
Pour evenly into two loaf pans.Top with remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Bake your cranberry nut bread for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. That is all there is to it!
How to Make Cranberry Nut Bread Video
See how to make this tasty bread with this step-by-step instruction video.
I just love the flavors in this cranberry bread. Cranberry and orange is one of my very favorite combinations, like cranberry orange biscuits. The sweetness of the orange and the tartness of the cranberry is a match made in heaven.

Cranberry Walnut Bread
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 cup milk 2 % preferred
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 to 3 teaspoons orange zest from 1 medium orange
- 1/8 cup oil
- 2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries coarsely chopped
- 1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts divided
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans. Set aside.
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In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
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In medium bowl, whisk together egg, milk, orange juice, orange zest and oil. Add to dry ingredients and stir until fully combined.
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Fold in coarsely chopped fresh cranberries and 1 cup chopped walnuts.
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Pour evenly into two loaf pans. Top with remaining 1/2 cup chopped walnuts.
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Bake for 50 to 55 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
-
Cool 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes
These loaves can be wrapped and frozen. Thaw at room temperature.
Cranberry Walnut Bread is a delicious bread from scratch that is so easy to make! Using fresh cranberries, walnuts and orange juice and zest, this quick bread recipe offers an amazing combination of flavors.
I hope you love this cranberry and walnut bread recipe as much as we do! Serve guests during the holidays a hearty and flavorful bread that will have them coming back for seconds. Serve it with my sausage hash brown casserole!
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